


This Year's Love

by ifwednesdaywasaflowerchild



Series: Jake and Cassie's Fluff Files [8]
Category: The Librarians (TV 2014)
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort, mentions of jenkins and charlene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-20
Updated: 2017-07-20
Packaged: 2018-12-04 15:41:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11558283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ifwednesdaywasaflowerchild/pseuds/ifwednesdaywasaflowerchild
Summary: While watching Jacob and Cassandra, Jenkins is reminded of what could have been with Charlene.





	This Year's Love

“- And then the speed…the speed…”

“It’s not important, Cass.” despite his need to follow them, to help Eve watch over Ezekiel and Flynn, Jenkins had insisted that he would be of more use to Cassandra. “Eve and Flynn got it. They’ll figure it out.”  

"Jacob," she sounds so small with that heartbreaking whimper because she's terrified and her nose is bleeding and her head hurts. She's turning into him, tucking herself into his body, sliding her arms into the open flaps of his jacket. "Jacob?"  
  
"I'm here, darlin'." Jacob takes Jenkins' proffered handkerchief and dabs gently at Cassie's upper lip, mopping up the blood. When her face is clean, he tosses the handkerchief and wraps his arms around her. "Breathe for me, remember how we practiced?"  
  
His hand moves up and down the length of her spine and he deepens his own breath to guide her through it. "So bright." she pants against his t-shirt. "It's so bright."

"Close your eyes, sweetheart."

Almost in spite of himself, Jenkins can’t help but watch. He wasn’t a hopeless romantic by any means, long ago accepting that no matter the century, the timing would just never be right for him and Charlene. Not as right as it was for Eve and Flynn, though he has suspicions about that, and not as whole as Jacob and Cassandra’s love could be, if only they’d figure it out.  That said, he did find the connection between the two librarians in training to be a fascinating study.

He watches silently, covertly, hiding behind his research and his books and his utter exasperation with Flynn’s inability to just do what he was supposed to do.

Cassandra is huddled against Jacob, wrapped up tight in his arms, while he helps her come down. Usually, her synesthesia was not as overwhelming as to almost incapacitate her, but this time had been different. This time, it had been urgent, and she’d felt rushed, pressured to give them information without all of the factors and parameters.

If not for Jacob, Jenkins cannot say that Miss Cillian would even be upright.

For his part, Jake’s nerves flare with even the slightest hint that she’s not okay. The first sign of distress had caused a stinging rush of adrenaline and the need to follow the rest of them had dissipated when he saw the blood dripping down her lip.

“Better?”

“Almost.” Cassie breathes, snuggling deeper into him. “You help.”

Holding her tighter seems like the only appropriate response. Much like he’d done with overly tired nieces and nephews  and the occasional cousin when parents reached their wits’ end, he sways. A tender rocking motion intended to soothe. It’s easy and gentle enough, it shouldn’t make anything worse and cause her nose to bleed more. He feels the shift almost instantly; the release of tense muscles, shoulders dropping, her grip on his shirt loosening considerably, and her breathing slowing down.

There’s one other thing but it’s a bit of a gamble, because her synesthesia could take over, again. It always seemed to have the intended effect on his nieces and nephews, but none of them had synesthesia. Their senses were wired properly, so to speak.

“This year’s love had better last. Heaven knows it’s high time.” soft, baritone voice carrying a tender melody. “And, I’ve been waiting on my own, too long. But, when you hold me, like you do. It feels so right…”

Jenkins’ knuckles pale around the leather-bound edges of his book. Nevertheless, he listens. Listens to Jacob’s raspy voice singing so sweetly in the silence of the Annex about the pain of lost love and finding it again. All the hesitant joy, diving in, and hoping it lasts. His chance at love was never to be, not with the person he wanted it with. Jacob’s halfway through the second verse when Jenkins silently closes the book and slips away.

Charlene is gone.

He needn’t stay and let himself be reminded of that more than necessary. Flynn can open the back door from the other side.  

…

The blinding brightness is dimming and the high, metallic scream of nonexistent violins is fading, replaced by Jake's soothing rasp. His body is a strong, solid heat and he uses firm touches, lots of pressure and weight, to keep her grounded but not bruised, so that she can find her way back to him.

It calms her.

Helps her sort through the muddled mess of sensation and knowledge to find a way out, a way back to reality.  It lets her relax, allow her body to droop against him because he’s warm and strong and _there_.

“Hmmmmm, that sounds nice.” is all she murmurs before she drifts off.

Sleep pulls like gravity, bearing down, rendering her unable to do anything but give in. Let her eyes close and free fall into whatever dream awaits her. Her weight goes slack, forcing him to tighten his hold on her, to keep her from crumpling to the ground. Deep, even breaths. Face, a picture of perfect serenity.

“...when you kiss me on that midnight street, sweep me off my feet, singing ain't this life so sweet…” his voice quietens considerably, in hopes he won't disturb her. “This year's love had better last..”

Pressed against one wall is a couch, deep caramel leather and plush cushions and pillows, a gift from Eve, he thinks. Something to break up monotony of desks and chairs and books and papers, make the Annex feel less like coming to school everyday. Jake sinks down into it gratefully, letting Cassie stretch against him, nuzzling into his side, and tangling their legs into a knot.

“...this year's love had better last..” he sings one final line before being carried away in the arms of Morpheus, still holding tight to Cass.

That's how Jenkins finds them.  

He had found himself at the mercy of his own curiosity when the sound of Mr. Stone’s singing no longer filled the Annex. Now, here he is, book in hand, watching them sleep. Ms. Cillian seems to have found peace, finally, stretched out beside Jacob, perfectly still and sleeping soundly.

They look so comfortable wrapped up in each other and it makes Jenkins a little envious. It makes him ache. Not just for Charlene but for the grandest adventure that had slipped through his fingers before he had a chance to do anything about it. There’s nothing to be done about it, now, he understands. Too late really did mean too late. But, he also realizes now that he sees a little of himself in Jacob and the way he interacts with Cassandra. How he looks at her as if she is the very being that hung every star in the sky. How he admires her quick thinking, wants to protect her from all the bad in the world.

He hopes they know just how lucky they are to have found each other. Maybe, they do, or if they don’t, maybe someday they will. Until then, he sets the book down, grabs a blanket and drapes it over them. When they’re covered, he picks up the book, once more, and settles at his usual place to work, absently humming the song Jacob had been singing a few minutes before.

_“...this year’s love had better last…”_


End file.
